Gearing for washing-machines and other apparatus.



F. B. CHURCHILL. GEARING FOR WASHING MACHINES AND OTHER APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 29. ms.

LQWMQHW Patented July 10, 1917.

2 SHEETS-SHEET li m... I mlllllllllllllllll! WITNESSES F. B. CHURCHILL.

GEARING FOR WASHING MACHINES AND OTHER APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 29. I916.

LQ33,UQ6 Patented July 10, 1917.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

IIIIIIIIII W l i I I A Mum"! V Ji A Q 131 \f :v A I'M I. 1) mi 1 1 RFRANK BYRON CHURCHILL, OF LA HARPE, ILLINOIS.

enemas Fort WASHING-MACHINES AND OTHER arranarus.

Lesaoee.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented July'jtth, 191%..

Application filed July 29, 1916. Serial No. 112,104.

other Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

This invention has reference to gearing for washin machines and otherapparatus, and its ob ect is to provide a simple and efiicient gearingfor use in conjunction with driven or .actuated part-s particularly ofthe character where the actuated parts have a rocking movement.

The invention comprises an actuated member mounted for rocking withmeans constraining it to assume a central or neutral position from whichit may be moved in either direction, the .constraining means beingusually in the form of opposed springs. Power is applied from anysuitable source which may in some instances be local to the structure,and this power, through suitable connecting gearing to which rotarymotion is imparted by the source of power, is translated intoreciprocatory movement ultimately transmitted to the rockable structurefor its actuation.

The invention is particularly useful in connection with washin and as itis sometimes esirable that such bodies be capable of actuation by hand,provision is made for disconnecting the gearing from the rockable memberand the applica tion of a suitable handle thereto, so that the handactuation may be performed.

The invention will be best understood from a consideration of thefollowing detailed description, taken in connection with theaccompanying drawings forming part of this specification, with thefurther understanding that while the drawings show a practical form ofthe invention, the latter is not confined to any strict conformity withthe showing of the drawings, but may be changed and modified so long assuch changes and modifications come within the scope of the appendedclaims.

In the drawings Figure 1 is a perspective new of a washing machine withthe gearing of the present invention applied thereto.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the strucmachine bodies,

ture of Fig. 1 as seen from the diagonally opposite corner,

Fig. 3 is a' horizontal section through the frame supporting thegearing.

Fig. 4 is an axial section through a wrist pin disk forming'part of thepower transmitting gearing.

Fig. 5 is a section on the line 5-5 of Fig. 4 showing the shiftinglever.

Fig. 6 is a face elevation with some parts in section of one of thetrunnion castings supporting the washing machine body and alsoshowingsome parts connected thereto.

Referring to the drawings there is shown a frame 1 which may beconveniently made of angle iron, although any particular material is notdemanded. This frame is supported upon legs 2 which may be convenien'tlyarranged at the corners of the frame,

since the latter is ordinarily of rectangular outline. Adjacent andconnected to the frame 1 is another frame 3 supported upon legs 4:, theframe. 3 being designed to support certain devices employed in theoperation of clothes washing. 7

' On opposite sides of the frame 1 about midway of the length of thelatter, standards 5 are'erected and each standard at its upper end isprovided with a journal bearing 6. There is also provided a washingmachine body 7 which may be of the general char-. acter and operatesimilarly to the washing machine body shown and described in Let-- tersPatent No. 981,169, granted to me on January 10, 1911. @n one side thebody 7 has fast thereto a casting 8 with divergent arms and providedwith a trunnion 9 entering a respective one of the journal bearings 6.On the opposite side of the body 7 is another casting 10 shown moreparticularly in Fig. 6, where it will be observed that the casting isformed of three arms '11, 12, meeting at a common center where thecasting is provided with a trunnion 13 adapted to the respective journalbearing 6. Both castings 8 and 10 are shown in the drawings-as of weband flange type, but the invention is not confined to any particulararrangement in this respect. The arms 11 and 12 form convenient meansfor attaching the casting 11 to the body 7 in such manner as to widelyspread the support, wherefore there is little liability of any of theparts loosening under the strain of operation.

The arm 12, in the installed position of bottom of the body 7 andterminates at the end remote from the trunnion 13 in a pin 14. The arm12 isv also formed with an offset bracket 15 terminating in a pin 16 ata .point more remote from the trunnion 13 than is the pin 14. i

The standards 5 and trunnions 9 and 13 are so located that the body 7 issituated within the frame 1 in-a manner'to permit rocking of the body 7in said frame on an axis corresponding to the axes of the trunnions 9and 13 which are in alinement and located intermediately of the heightof the body 7, in the installed position of the machine, andsubstantially midway of the length of said body 7.

Connected to the pin 14 are adjacent eye ends of two springs 17, theother ends of these-springs being made fast to one, of the side bars ofthe frame 1' by eye bolts 18, or in any other convenient manner. Whenthe springs 17 are properly attached they are eachunder suflicientextension to hold the body 7 approximately level, but the body 7 may berocked in either direction on its trunnions by a properly applied force,one spring then expanding on the rocking of the body in'onedirectionwith the other spring contracting. However, the normal tendencyof the springs is to maintain the body 1n 3. level position and toreturn it to such level position when rocked in either directiontherefrom, wherefore the springs 17 act as equalizing springs.

Attached'to the body 7 is a handle socket 19 which, may beconvenientlylocated midway between the ends of the body 7 on the same side as thecasting 10, and the socket 19 is designed to receive a manipulatinghandle 20,-which,'however, may be removed from or applied to the socketas desired.

Considering the structure so far described, washing may be performed bysimply rocking the body 7 by force applied by hand to the handle 20, andif desired the springs may remain in position more or less facllitatingthe action of the body by hand only. If desired, the springs may bedetached by slipping the ad acent ends from the pin 14 whereupon thesprings will simply hang idly from the eye bolts 18.

When the machine is actuated by power, there is provided a pitman 21which at one end is formed with a clip 22 adapted to env gage the. pin16 and is connected to the pitman 21 by a-hinge connection shownin 'thedrawings as in the formof a bolt 23.

The other end of the pitman 21 is similarly connected to a'wrist pin 24on a wrist pin-disk 25, which latter is formed with a.

hub 26 provided" with a circumferential groove 27 and at the end remotefrom the disk with a diametric recess. 28.

The hub 26 is mounted to slide on a shaft 29 provided with journal,bearings 30, 31 near the opposite ends and carried by suitable bars 32,33 fast to the frame 1 by other cross bars 34.

In close parallel relation to the shaft 29 is another shaft 35 providedwith journal bearings 36, 37 on the bars 32, 33, respectively. The shaft29 carries a gear wheel 38 with which there is in mesh a pinion 39 faston the shaft 35. At the end of the shaft 35 remote from the bar 32 is adrive pulley 40, the shaft 35 being long enough for the purpose. Thepulley 40 may be a grooved pulley as shown, or of any form suitable toreceive a driving belt. In the particular showing of the drawings thereis provided a belt 41 carried to a pulley 42 on the armature shaft of anelectric motor 43 in turn mounted upon the bar 33 by means of clipplates 34 and clamp bolt 35. By this means the motor 43 may be adjustedalong the bar 33 and there clamped in order to take up any slack in thebelt 41. The motor 43 provides a convenient driving unit whereverelectric power is available, but where electric power is not availablesome other convenient means of supplying power may be provided, as iscustomary. When the motor 43 is running the shaft 35 is driven therefromby means of the belt 41 and pulley 40, and motion is transmitted fromthe shaft 35 to the shaft 29 by the pinion 39 and gear wheel 38. Thedisk 25 is movable lengthwise .of the shaft 29 on the end of the latteron which it is mounted, and this is accomplished .by means of amanipulating lever 44 pivotally mounted on a bracket 45 which may formpart of the structure of the journal bearing 30. The lever 44 terminatesin a yoke 46 with pins 47 taking in the groove 27. Traversing the shaft29 is a pin 48 so situated that the hub 26 of the disk 25 may be movedtoward the pin 48 until the latter 1s housed in the recess 28, whereuponthe disk 25 and shaft 29 are coupled together or maybe uncoupled at anytime by a suitable manipulatlon of the lever 44. This constitutes aconvenient means whereby the disk 25 may be coupled up to the shaft 29or uncoupled therefrom, and when the disk and shaft are coupled, thenpower is transmitted from the motor 43 through the gearing connectionsto the pitman 21, which latter is actuated by the wrist pin 24, thuscausing the washing machine body 7 to rock on its trunnions alternatelyexpanding and releasing the respective springs 17.

By a suitable proportioning of the parts a relative high speed of themotor, which customarilly runs at high speed, is reduced at the dis 25toa suitable speed, so that the body 7 may rock at a speed of say, fortyor forty-five complete oscillations per minute. However, any particularrate of speed is not obligatory and will depend upon conditionsto bemet.

Since it is customary to supply washing machines with clothes wringers,there is shown in the drawings a clothes wringer 49 which may beconsidered as of an ap-' form no part of the present invention, no

particular showing or description is deemed necessary. It may be stated,however, that the mounting for the wringer is capable of rotation uponthe upright axis of the shaft 52 into different positions, the frame 3constituting a convenient means for supporting tubs or other receptaclesfor the clothes after passing through the wringer, and for containingclothing removed from the washing machine body 7 before being passedthrough the wringer, if such be desirable.

With the present invention rotary motion of the prime mover 48, whichmay represent an electric motor or any other suitable actuating device,is converted by means of the gearing into rocking motion at the washingmachine body 7 with the gearing connections including means forconnecting or disconnecting the washing machine body at will from theprime mover, thus avoiding the necessity of stopping the latter when itis desired to temporarily stop the oscillation of the body 7. Again, thestructure permits the disconnecting of the washing machine body from thedriving gearing, so that the'washing machine body'may be manipulated byhandthrou h'the medium of the handle 20 if such be esirable.

The operative or active mechanism may include both the washing machinebody and the wringer, and the washing machine body may be of a rockingor vibratory construction held to a neutral position by opposed orequalizing springs, so that when therockable body is displaced from theposition to which it is normally constrained, this movement is resistedby one spring and assisted by the other, and these springs are connectedto the body at some distance below the axis of rocking in the installedmachine. Moreover, the connection for the springs forms part of atrunnion device constituting one trunnion support of the rockablemember.v

In order to readily empty the body 7 of water. when desired, it isprovided with a drain valve 56 with a suitable length of flexible pipe57 connected thereto.

What is claimed is:

1. The combination with a rockable member, of an arm on the rockablemember extending radially from the axis of rocking, opposed springs bothconnected to the arm in spaced relation to the axis of rocking andyieldably constraining the rockable member to a central.or neutralposition, driving means, gearing connected to and actuated by thedriving means, reciprocatory means interposed between the arm and thegearing, and means for connecting the reciprocatory meansto anddiseonnecting'said means from the gearing, at will.

2. The combination with a rockable member having a substantiallyhorizontal axis of rocking located intermediate of "the height of therockable member, of an arm on the rockable member extending downwardlyfrom the axis of rocking, opposed springs both connected to the lowerportion of. the arm, and driving means also connectedto the lowerportion of the arm.

3. In a washing machine, the combination with a rockable washing machinebody having its axis of rocking within the confines of the body, an armfast to the body and extending downwardly in the installed position ofthe body from the axis of rocking, oppositely acting springs bothconnected to the arm at the lower portion thereof, and driving meansalso connected to the arm at the lower portion thereof for rocking thebody to simultaneouslyextend one spring and release the other.

4. The combination with a rockable member, of an arm fast to therockable member and extending downwardly from the axis of rocking, areciprocable member connected to the arm at the lower portion of thelatter, oppositely acting springs also connected to thearm at the lowerportion of the latter, a rotatable memberto which the reciprocablemember is connected, driving means, gearing between the driving meansand the rotatable member, and means for connecting the rotatable memberto and disconnecting it from the driving means, at will.

5. In a washing machine, a rockable body member having trunnions in theaxis of rocking with said axis located between the ends, top and bottomof the body member, an arm fast to'the body member and extendingdownwardly from the axis of rocking, o positely-directed springsconnected at t eir adjacentends to the lower portion of the arm, anddriving means also connected to the lower ortion of the arm and operableto rock t 6 body member to stretch the springs one at a time inalternation.

6. The combination with a rockable mem- I ber having trunnion journalsintermediate of its height, of'an arm fast to a trunnion journal andextending downwardly therefrom, opposed equalizer springs both connectedto the lower end of the arm, a pitman also connected .to the lowerportion of the arm, and driving means for the pitman.

7 The combination with a rockable member having trunnion journalsintermediate of its height, of an arm fast to a trunnion journal andextending downwardly therefrom, opposed equalizer springs connected tothe lower portion of the arm, a pitman also connected to the lowerportion of the arm, a rotary crank disk for actuating the pitman, anddriving mechanism for the crank disk including a prime mover and meansfor connecting the crank disk to and disconnecting it from the drivingmechanism, at will.

8. A machine having active members including a rockable member with anarm extending from the axis of rocking, a frame carrying the activemembers, opposed springs connected to the arm and to the frame andtending to maintain the rockable member in a centralized position, apitman connected to the arm, a crank disk to which the pitman isconnected, a shaft upon which the crank disk ismounted and along whichit is movable, means for moving the crank disk along the shaft, clutchmeans for connecting the crank disk to and disconnecting it from theshaft by movements of the crank the pitman is connected, a shaft uponwhich the crank disk is mounted and along which it is movable, means formoving the crank disk along the shaft, clutch means for connecting thecrank disk to and disconnecting it from the shaft by movements of thecrank disk along the shaft, another shaft, intermeshing gearing betweenthe shafts, and a prime mover and connections between the prime moverand the second shaft for the actuation of the latter.

10. A machine having active members including a rockable member with anarm eX- tending away from the axis of rocking, a frame carrying theactive members, opposed springs connected to the arm and to the frameand tending to maintain the rockable member in a centralized position, apitman connected to the arm, a crank disk to which the pitman isconnected, a shaft upon which the crank disk is mounted and along whichit is movable, means for moving the crank disk along the shaft, clutchmeans for connecting the crank disk to and disconnectin it from theshaftbymovements of the cran disk alon the shaft, another shaft, intermeshinggearing between the shafts, and a prime mover and connections betweenthe prime mover and the second shaft for the actuation of, the latter,said prime mover comprising an electric motor mounted on the frame andmovable therealong with belt .connections between the motor and thesecond-named shaft.

In testimony, that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have heretoaffixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

FRANK BYRON CHURCHILL.

Witnesses:

ALVA J. ADAMS, Dr. C. G. Roman.

